BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS the Federation celebrates this year’s Month of Older Persons in October, the Government of National Unity said emphasis is being placed on bringing an end to discrimination against the elderly.
Celebrating under the theme ‘Take a Stand Against Ageism’, the Ministry of Social Service is focusing its attention on three specific areas to recognize the elderly in the Federation and to stop discrimination:
1) Explore and challenge negative attitudes and mindsets of ageing and older persons;
2) Promote a positive image of ageing and older persons via the sharing of best practices among countries that address age discrimination, promote social inclusion and create positive representations of older persons in the media; and
3) Call for improved data collection, analysis and reporting of age disaggregated data to better understand the experiences, changing needs and contributions of people as they age. This exercise should assist in empowering older persons and safeguard their rights.
In a speech to mark the beginning of the Month of Older Persons, Senator Wendy Phipps, Minister of State with responsibility for the Ministries of Health, Social Services and Community Development, said that at the end of 2015, 12.3% of the world's population was placed in the elderly bracket – 60 years and above.
According to the Minister, countries coming under the umbrella of the United Nations such as St. Kitts and Nevis must accelerate socioeconomic and political programmes “to ensure that we can take care of this vulnerable and growing segment of our population”.
Phipps noted that according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), by the year 2050 the 12.3% average is expected to climb to approximately 22%, almost a quarter of the global head count.
“For us in the Caribbean, this is rather critical given the projection that most of the growth of our older population will take place in developing countries such as ours,” Phipps said.
She indicated that the Federation needs to be mindful of the fact that people are living longer and that “what is also heartening is that more of our men folk are now attaining the age of 100”.
Phipps reminded citizens and residents to never forget that it is “our older citizens who toiled and invested in this country to bring it to the present point of development, and the recognition of basic human rights and freedoms that we today take for granted”.
“We owe our older persons a major debt of gratitude and a biblical obligation to care for them so that our days may be long,” she added.
The month kicked off with a Church Service on Sunday (Oct. 2), while there will be marches on both St. Kitts and Nevis, a Senior Citizens Movie Day and a Senior Citizens Gala, among other activities.
